SF Insite:
Improving your life, the science-and-technology way is the theme of our editorial from Thomas Myer.

SF by Canadians, eh? Yes, and there's more than you may think.Terry Pratchett brings a love of the absurd to virtually everything he writes. Have you read them all?

Audio: SF is alive and well on the radio.Comics & Animation: What's happening with comics these days?SF Book Stores: Can't find that one title? Try one of these shops.Our Contents Page highlights reviews of
Dean Koontz's Fear Nothing
and Jonathan Carroll's Kissing the Beehive.Author & Fan Tribute Sites: we've built 26 pages of them (plus one for Mc).What's new from the SF Site reviewers? Browse through the list to see if any of your favourites are represented.SF Site is host to:
and
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andSF Site Search Engine: it will find whatever or whoever you're looking for.Have you seen our previous issues?

Running With The Demon by Terry Brooksreviewed by Wayne MacLaurin
This is a dark contemporary fantasy. Set in the town of Hopewell, IL, the novel
tells the tale of good vs evil as a demon, bent of the destruction of civilization, matches
wits against a young girl with strange magical powers. Brooks
adds a wandering knight, who seems to be a cross between an old-west marshall and the Fisher King, and sets
the story against the backdrop of small-town America, complete with a labour-troubled steel mill.
A truly compelling read.

Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bearreviewed by Rodger Turner
Greg Bear has thrown in many elements to tantalize. He's set the novel in 1947,
he's added dinosaurs, found fifty years before but out of fashion for the day, he's added South American
explorers and dictators and he's built a cast of marvelous characters both real and imagined.

The Soprano Sorceress by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.reviewed by Jeff Berkwits
The author is best known among fantasy fans for his long-running Recluce series.
Throughout this novel (not in that series), he creates a compelling tale where mastery of melody can literally
mean the difference between life and death.

Moonwar by Ben Bovareviewed by Lisa DuMond
The author keeps the action going in grand space opera style, relying often on stock characters, indulging
only occasionally in the truly cornball to tie up loose ends. The technology is intriguing, the settings
exotic, and the story involving -- promising endless material for the proposed saga.

The Scroll of Thoth by Richard L. Tierneyreviewed by Wayne MacLaurin
This collection includes twelve of the author's works dealing with Simon Magus, a great figure
in Western occult tradition. Simon Magus is mentioned in The Bible and is often referred
to as the sorcerous opponent of Peter. Fictional accounts of Simon and his exploits have appeared in
countless forms including that as one of the formative influences of the main character in the latest
movie version of The Saint.

How Few Remain by Harry Turtledovereviewed by Alexander von Thorn
George Custer and Teddy Roosevelt fighting the British in Montana. Abraham
Lincoln preaching socialism in Chicago. Samuel Clemens arrested for
sedition. Trench warfare on the Ohio River. This story bursts forth from the
first page and pushes ahead with the force of a speeding train. How Few
Remain is a compelling and entertaining story and a thoughtful study of
some of the core issues of American history.

Merlin's Gift by Ian McDowellreviewed by Stephen M. Davis
Ian McDowell has put a real twist on the Arthurian legend, telling the story
from the point-of-view of Mordred -- but a Mordred you may not recognize.
This is the sort of book that would be outright foolishness if it weren't
all managed so deftly by the author. Stephen was most impressed!

Touched By The Gods by Lawrence Watt-Evansreviewed by Jim Greer
Jim found it to be a clever, thought-provoking story that moves with good pace. The characters
are slightly static, but well-drawn and interesting. There is enough mystery and intrigue to keep the
reader glued to the story.

Editor's Choiceshort fiction reviews by David Truesdale
In his column, David looks at the January 1998 issue (#127) of
Interzone.
His choice is
"What I Got for Christmas" by Pat Cadigan.

February New Arrivalscompiled by John O'Neill
The first two weeks of February have produced nearly as many titles as the entire month of January, including new
books by John Kessel, Charles Sheffield, Jack Vance, Christopher Rowley, Severna Park, Kate Elliott, S.M. Stirling,
Martin H. Greenberg, Scott Mackay, Elliot S. Maggin, and many others.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willisreviewed by Steven H Silver
Steven has enjoyed several Connie Willis short stories or novellas. At longer lengths,
he subscribes to the minority opinion that her work is vastly overrated. While sure that
To Say Nothing of the Dog will sell well and may even garner Willis another Hugo or
Nebula, it is another book supporting his opinion that she should stick with short fiction
and stay away from time travel.

Black Mist: and Other Japanese Futures edited by Orson Scott Card and Keith Ferrellreviewed by Stephen M. Davis
The idea behind the anthology is intriguing: six authors in five novellas look at the future of Japanese
culture and society in outer space, cyberspace, and Earth. Much to the reader's sorrow, the editors
succeed only partially in realizing their goal.

Halfway Human by Carolyn Ives Gilmanreviewed by Lisa DuMond
Lisa will be looking for this book on the Hugo and Nebula ballots this year.
Yes, it's that good. Developing characters that readers will care enough
about to become wrapped up in their struggles is tough work for an author.
Carolyn Ives Gilman does it and she does it well. And this is only her debut
novel.

Spares by Michael Marshall Smithreviewed by Rodger Turner
Rodger thinks this is an author with a remarkable eye. His writing is starkly
visual reminding him of what Blade Runner would be like on speed.
Smith captures the essence of characters with a deft touch, all the while
pushing the plot forward with surreal intensity.

Percival and the Presence of God by Jim Hunterreviewed by Neil Walsh
In his introduction, the book's editor calls this "Christian existential novel."
Neil agrees, it is an oddity, all right. Perhaps even more
existential than it is Christian. Not much action. Lots of introspection. And yet, very visceral.